How Shoreline Schools are responding to the COVID-19 Omicron surge

Sunday, January 16, 2022

Susana Reyes, Superintendent Shoreline Schools
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools
Dr. Susana Reyes, Superintendent of the Shoreline School District, sent this message to school families, updating them on Shoreline's current pandemic response.

COVID-19 Update from Superintendent Reyes

It has been great to see students and staff back from winter break with learning in full swing. At the same time, we know that the evolving situation with COVID and the latest Omicron variant has added stress and anxiety for our families and staff. 

In this communication, we will provide updates and information about how we are responding to needs presented by our current situation.

COVID information

The Omicron variant is highly contagious and just like other school districts in the state and nation, we have been experiencing an increase in the number of cases in our schools. The most important thing we all can do to keep this from spreading further is to stay home if experiencing any symptoms.

Additional ways we can all help support the health and safety of students and staff include:
  • Get vaccinated, including a booster shot if eligible
  • Wear masks properly
  • Maintain a physical distance from others
  • Avoid large gatherings
  • Continue to wash your hands regularly

It will take all of us working together to keep our schools and community healthy.

North City Testing Site

Our testing site at the North City Elementary campus, 816 NE 190th St. is open on school days from 11:00am to 3:00pm for students and staff. Preregistration and scheduling is required and can be completed here. Testing at this site is free and only available to students and staff at this time. You can learn more here.

How is the District responding to staffing impacts as a result of increasing COVID-related absences?

Currently, the Department of Health (DOH), Public Health Seattle-King County (PHSKC), and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) support and are strongly encouraging the continuation of in-person learning for the well-being of students and their families.

The decision to temporarily close a school or classroom will be based on either the direction of PHSKC and the DOH in response to health and safety concerns or the District’s ability to have enough staff to be able to operate safely. 

We will work through each situation individually (classroom or school) and communicate with families as quickly as possible about any need for temporary closure or temporary shift to remote learning. We are not anticipating a district-wide closure at this time.

During the last two weeks, we have experienced high absence rates among staff and students. We also continue to see a shortage of substitute teachers and substitute support staff. 

We anticipate that absences will remain high over the next couple of weeks, but our priority is to keep schools open as long as we can provide staff to operate safely. We are extremely grateful to our amazing staff in our schools and district office who are pulling together to keep our schools open. 

We have a process for meeting the challenges of the next few weeks so we can keep our schools open for in-person learning. This includes deploying district office staff to schools as needed.

As we have done since the beginning of the pandemic, we will track positive cases and follow the guidance and direction of Public Health for responding, which may include temporarily closing classrooms or schools if necessary. 

As a district, we have done a great job with maintaining our schools’ health and safety, and we know our staff, students, and families have played a huge role in helping us to remain open by being mindful and following safety protocols. 

In addition to the established layers of protection in our school environments, such as masking and physical distancing, many of our students ages five and older are now fully vaccinated. All of these layers of protection, together, provide for a safe environment for students and staff. Working together, we will continue to keep our students and staff safe in our schools.

Visitors and Volunteers

Over the past several weeks, we have received questions about our plan for reintroducing volunteers and visitors in schools. Please know that we absolutely appreciate and value the incredible support this provides for our staff and students. Not only does it help ease the load for our staff, it also builds community and trust. This is what makes our community special, and we look forward to when we can return to more normal times. 

For now, because of the rise in cases and to minimize any additional increase, we are postponing allowing visitors and volunteers in our schools and campuses. We will reassess at the beginning of February when we hope to have worked through the current challenge. Thank you for your patience and understanding. We truly appreciate it!

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting the health and well-being of our students and staff. I am honored to serve you, our children and youth, and our community. Together, we will get through this.

Stay safe and be well,
Dr. Susana Reyes
Superintendent



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Breakthrough COVID-19 ferry crew cases affecting service

Saturday, January 15, 2022


Ferries idled at Kingston photo by Jan Hansen
The highly contagious omicron variant is affecting transportation agencies around the world – airlines, bus services and marine transport – including Washington State Ferries. 

Due to COVID-19-related relief requests from hundreds of our ferry employees, combined with ongoing staffing shortages, expect most routes to remain on their alternate service schedules until the current surge subsides. 

That means we will have one-boat service on all routes except Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth, where a two-boat schedule is in place, and Anacortes/San Juan Islands, where we will try to maintain a normal winter schedule.

We appreciate the public’s continued patience as we all work through the pandemic’s unexpected twists and turns. 

Riders are encouraged to sign up for our rider alerts to receive updates on what schedule we’re operating on each route.



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Drive-in Food Drive Saturday at Shorecrest


Shorecrest and Shorewood High Schools will be hosting an East Side vs. West Side Drive-In Food Drive in support of North Helpline today, Saturday, January 15, 2022 from 12:00-7:00pm in the Shorecrest parking lot, 15343 25th Ave NE

Come show your school pride by helping those in need of food support!

Items most needed include: canned soups, canned vegetables, granola bars, cooking oil, toothpaste and bars of soap.



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Hillwood Neighborhood Association reveals Pathmates: nine new public artworks


Hillwood Neighborhood Association is proud to introduce nine new public artworks featuring images by young neighborhood artists from age 8 to 16.

These will be revealed on Sunday, January 16, 2020. This successful project was fully funded by a City of Shoreline Neighborhood Mini-grant.

A self-guided art walk from 1 to 3pm on Sunday will lead to four popular footpaths featuring the installed pieces constructed with retired Hillwood aluminum street signs and retired sign posts from the City. 

A Call for Youth Artists contest was held in 2021. The theme: What I like about my neighborhood. Nine drawings from a field of 47 were selected for conversion to waterjet cut engravings now handsomely mounted and ready to view on our paths.

Please join us in Hillwood Neighborhood to celebrate our young artists while walking on our foot paths! 

Included here is a map of the area with icon images of the artworks.
The Hillwood neighborhood is located in central Shoreline within the boundaries of 205th, Aurora, Richmond Beach Rd, and 8th NW.



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King County Library System patrons checked out nearly 8 million digital titles in 2021

Shoreline Library photo by Steven H. Robinson

ISSAQUAH, WA — King County Library System (KCLS) patrons checked out 7,868,850 digital titles in 2021 through OverDrive, a digital reading platform used by KCLS. OverDrive’s 2021 statistics identify KCLS as the No. 2 digital circulating library in the U.S. and No. 4 in the world. KCLS’ per capita usage remains the highest of any library system in the U.S.

In another record-setting year, OverDrive’s 2021 data shows that readers continue to turn to digital content they can access and enjoy from home during the ongoing pandemic. In total, readers across the globe checked out 506 million eBooks, audiobooks and digital magazines through OverDrive.

“It is wonderful to watch our digital readership grow each year,” stated KCLS Executive Director Lisa Rosenblum. “We will continue to invest in digital content to meet our patrons’ needs and expand access to information in all forms.”

A KCLS library card or eCard allows patrons to access to the System’s electronic materials, which include streaming films, eBooks, audiobooks, online magazines, research databases, student resources, small business resources and more.

KCLS’ Top Five Digital Titles in 2021:
  • “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah
  • “A Promised Land” by Barack Obama
  • “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Deep End” by Jeff Kinney
  • “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig
  • “Talking to Strangers” by Malcolm Gladwell

To view KCLS’ electronic downloads in real time, check out OverDrive’s digital circulation dashboard.

Founded in 1942, the King County Library System (KCLS) is one of the busiest public library systems in the country. Serving the communities of King County (outside the city of Seattle), KCLS has 50 libraries and 1.2 million cardholders. In 2011, KCLS was named Library of the Year by Gale/Library Journal.



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Update and Message from Republic Services for January 12, 13, 14

Republic Services contracts with Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, and Woodway for garbage, compost, recycling services

"We regret to inform you that this morning Republic Services continues to be hampered by the out-of-state union activity that began on Wednesday at our Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, and Lynnwood locations. 

"As you may recall this service disruption is related to a labor issue in California that has nothing to do with our Washington based drivers. 

"We continue working diligently with our city partners to communicate with impacted customers and resume regular service delivery operations as quickly and efficiently as possible.

"We will make calls to all of our impacted customers. Our call center team is also standing by to answer questions and address concerns.

"Republic Services is committed to working with our partners to provide exceptional service to our cities and customers. We take that commitment seriously and apologize for this inconvenience. Thank you for your continued patience as we navigate this temporary, unexpected situation."

Republic Services will be collecting all your regular and recycled material at no charge on your next regular service collection day to customers affected from service January 12, 13, and 14, 2022.

Visit Republic Services for more information or call the customer service phone lines (Residential: 206-682-9730 OR Commercial: 206-682-3037).

Click Here for Additional Information and Updates

For your reference;
  • Lake Forest Park - Republic Services
  • Kenmore - Republic Services
  • Shoreline - Recology
  • Woodway - Republic Services
  • Seattle - Recology and Waste Management
Updated to show which companies contract with local cities.


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Case updates January 14, 2022

COVID-19 Updates

 

United States  

  
  • Total cases 64,285,467 - 875,915 new  
  • Cases in past 7 days - 5,562,110
  • Total deaths 844,841 - 1,962  new

Washington State
  • Total confirmed cases 914,570 - 12,683 new 
  • Total hospitalizations 48,862 -   259 new    
  • Statewide ICU occupancy by COVID-19 patients - 28.4%
  • Total deaths 10,196 -    53 new  

Levels of Community Transmission:
based on the number of new cases per 100,000 residents in the past 7 days:

High: ≥ 100
Substantial: 50-99
Moderate: 10-49
Low: < 10


King county 
  • Total confirmed cases 253,728 -  4,423 new   
  • Cases in past 7 days - 38,823 
  • Total hospitalizations 9,990 -  59 new   
  • Total deaths 2,239 -  19 new   
  • Level of community transmission HIGH  

Seattle 
  • Total confirmed cases 64,447  -  1,382 new   
  • Cases in past 7 days - 11,010   
  • Total hospitalizations 2,148  -  17 new   
  • Total deaths 543  -   3 new  
  • Level of community transmission HIGH  

Shoreline  
  • Total confirmed cases 5,663 -   115 new  
  • Cases in past 7 days - 900    
  • Total hospitalizations 278 -   2 new   
  • Total deaths 117 - 1 new
  • Level of community transmission: HIGH

Lake Forest Park 
  • Total confirmed cases 958 - 15 new    
  • Cases in past 7 days - 138 
  • Total hospitalizations 26 -    1 new
  • Total deaths 5  - 0 new
  • Level of community transmission: HIGH


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Jobs: Shoreline Community College has two new openings

Shoreline Community College is recruiting for the following positions:

Program Coordinator – Gender Equity Center
Date of first consideration: February 13, 2022
Job description and application

Business Analyst
Date of first consideration: February 24, 2022
Job description and application

Interested applicants may apply at www.shoreline.edu/hr for our full-time and part-time positions. It’s easy to search for open positions using the search bar and filtering tools.



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Notes from Shoreline council meeting January 10, 2022

Pam Cross, reporter
Shoreline City Council Meeting
January 10, 2022

Notes by Pam Cross

The remote meeting was called to order at 7:00pm by Mayor Scully. All Councilmembers were present.

Proclamation
I, Keith Scully, Mayor of the City of Shoreline, on behalf of the Shoreline City Council, do hereby proclaim January 17, 2022 as MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY and encourage all residents to work to end racism and fight for justice for all.

Approval of the Agenda
Agenda approved by unanimous consent.

Report of the City Manager, Debbie Tarry

COVID-19 Update

As we all know by now, the extremely transmissible omicron variant continues to increase the number of cases higher than at any other point in the pandemic.



Testing capacity has become strained. Don’t go to emergency rooms for testing because this impedes their ability to care for those with medical emergencies.

Proposition 1
Public Reminders

A public hearing before the Hearing Examiner will be held Tuesday, January 18 at 7:00pm regarding a Preliminary Formal Subdivision Application PLN20-0138

The Planning Commission will hold a virtual meeting on Thursday, January 20 at 7:00pm

In recognition of Marine Luther King, Jr. Day, City Hall will be closed Monday, Jan 17 and there will be no Council meeting. The next Council meeting will be Monday, Jan 24 at 7:00pm.

More information is available at shorelinewa.gov/calendar

Ms. Tarry introduces :

Presentation by Randy Witt, Public Works Director

City of Shoreline APWA* Reaccreditation received October 18, 2021.

*The American Public Works Association is a nonprofit, professional association of public works agencies, private companies, and individuals dedicated to promoting professional excellence and public awareness through education, advocacy and the exchange of knowledge.

We are really proud of this nationally recognized achievement. It’s our second accreditation (or first re-accreditation, if you prefer).

Although the focus is on public works, it is a citywide effort.

Mr. Witt introduces:

Tina Nelson, member of Board of Directors of APWA.

APWA was formed in 1937. It is an international organization with more than 30,000 members. It is headquartered in Kansas City and has an office in Washington D.C., and 63 chapters with 97 branches throughout North America. In Washington State, we have one chapter that is one of the largest, very active chapters in the organization with about 1,500 members.

The APWA Accreditation program recognizes public works agencies that go beyond the requirements of the management practices established nationally in the public works industry, as contained in the APWA Public Works Management Practices Manual. The Accreditation designation indicates that the agency met all applicable Accreditation documentation and practices over time. Typically agencies may take several years to achieve this prestigious award bestowed by the National APWA and reviewed by a team of public works professionals throughout the country. (washington.apwa.net)

(In an in-person meeting, this would be the time for presentation of the plaque.)

Council Reports

CM Mork attended the first meeting of the Regional Water Council. It’s part of the SCA (Sound Cities Association) this term. They elected the Chair and Vice Chair and will be moving forward with discussions of wastewater and stormwater issues.

Mayor Scully attended the North End Mayors meeting which was an opportunity to meet and exchange ideas.

The Mayor also asked Councilmembers if they would be willing to serve on a Planning Commission interview process to replace vacancies.

Public Comments

Jackie Kurle, Shoreline
I encourage maximum transparency of the operation of the enhanced shelter for the benefit of both residents and neighbors. I understand things are operating fairly smoothly and I hope for its success. I would like to see a public updated report on shelter operations.

Tom McCormick, Shoreline
Saltwater Park is bigger than we thought. Originally 32 acres, beach and tidelands not previously known have added another 10 acres. This is all owned by the City. There is one parcel that is not. It is a privately owned 2.5 acres at the end of Apple Tree Lane (27th Ave NW), and valued at $107,000. The City should purchase this. It is an unbuildable beach parcel. The Comprehensive Plan calls for additional public beach access.

Approval of the Consent Calendar
Consent Calendar approved unanimously 7-0.

Study Items

8(a) Discussion of Shoreline School District Ballot Proposition No. 1 – Replacement of Expiring Levy for Educational Programs and Operations and Proposition No. 2 – Replacement of Expiring Capital Levy for Technology Improvement and Support

Christina Arcidy, Management Analyst

These ballots have been placed by the Shoreline School District and are both replacement levies. This will be a factual presentation by:

Dr. Susana Reyes, Shoreline SD Superintendent

(Note: the power point presentation and additional information is available at ShorelineSchools.org )

What’s the difference between a Levy and a Bond?


A levy is a local property tax that provides funds to enhance educational programs, support services and resources that are not provided by the State. This equals about 20% of the Shoreline SD annual operating budget. These and the expiring are 4-year levies.

Since the prior levies are expiring, the old rates will be replaced by - not added to - these numbers.

Individual property owners may use the King County Assessors link https://localscape.spatialest.com/#kingcountyassessor/Tax to estimate the impact of the proposed levy on their property taxes.

Staff is asking if Council wants to take a position on these levies. If the Council does, then a resolution would be prepared and presented by staff at a Council meeting where there would be an opportunity for public comment.

DISCUSSION

What justifies the increase in the levy amount for Prop 1?
  • Reply by Marla Miller, SSD Deputy Superintendent: We use an inflation factor provided to us, and our estimates of future increased enrollment.
Then why are there no increases in Prop 2?
  • Reply Ms. Miller: it’s replacing equipment and the cost of some items is actually lower.
Do we need to replace all equipment? I realize technology changes but I’m just curious if there is a replacement reserve?
  • Reply: If we don’t have a technology levy, then the general fund needs to provide the equipment. So in the technology levy, we actually have about a 6-9 month lag between when we expect to replace things, but as a result of the pandemic we had to buy more because of remote teaching. Our network infrastructure had to be adapted. So we used what would have been our next round of purchasing in order to maintain the educational program. The funds are collected one year at time. So we can assess needs and adapt. In the next 4 years (or whatever) we hope to get back to our normal spending cycle.

We all heard of the problems with internet connectivity during the pandemic. Is this addressed in these levies?
  • Reply Ms. Miller: The technology levy (#2) includes maintenance and replacement of internet and servers and the parts of the infrastructure that provide that network support. It also supports the website the SD operates, and the licensing of software as well as the hardware. During the pandemic we delivered hundreds of hotspots to people who did not have an internet connection at home. Some may need to be replaced.

Council extended thanks to the School District for doing what they have been able to do to make Shoreline one great place to live. It’s never enough money to give the citizens everything that they want.

Discussion of adding support for these levies to the next Action agenda. Council is interested but is there enough time to do it before the ballot?
  • Reply by Debbie Tarry: This would before ballots are due. They are mailed on Jan 19 so the Jan 24 meeting would be fairly soon after they are distributed. But this is only to make a statement as a Council.
Councilmembers can always individually support the levies.

Staff will prepare a presentation.

8(b) QUASI-JUDICIAL: Discussion of Ordinance No. 953 – Amending the Zoning Map at 808, 812, 820, and 826 N 145th Street From Residential 12-units Per Acre (R-12) to Neighborhood Business (NB) (PLN21-0117)

This is a quasi-judicial item for which the Council does not take public comment

Steven Szafran, AICP, Senior Planner

The Applicant proposes to rezone four parcels located at 808, 812, 820, and 820 N 145th St from R-12 to NB (Neighborhood-Business). The applicant is asking for a rezone of four parcels to develop higher-density housing and/or a mixed-use development with commercial uses on the ground-floor. Rezoning this parcel to NB is consistent, if not less intensive, with other similarly situated properties abutting N.145th St and commercial zoning in the City of Seattle on the south side of N 145th St. There is no planned development at this time.



What is the criteria for rezoning?
  • The rezone is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan for the City of Shoreline. Current zoning of these parcels is not.
  • The rezone will not adversely affect the public health, safety, or general welfare. There is frequent bus service, retail and commercial services are all within a short distance, high density townhomes currently exist and commercial services are present.
  • The rezone is warranted to achieve consistency with the Comprehensive Plan.
  • The rezone will not be materially detrimental to uses or property in the immediate vicinity of the subject rezone. This site has been designated for commercial and/or mixed use development since the incorporation of the City in 1995. Development will be required to comply with current codes for stormwater, engineering and other relevant codes including frontage, surface water improvements, and sufficient parking onsite to mitigate any affects on street or neighborhood areas.
  • The rezone has merit and value for the community.

Mayor Scully introduces Fairness Checklist to Councilmembers
No ex parte communications.

DISCUSSION

When driving in the area, you can see that the current occupancy/zoning (single family homes) is inconsistent with the rest of the area. The current homes are older with large backyards that have townhomes behind them. New construction will be a big improvement to the neighborhood.

Has rezoning of this vicinity taken place before?
  • Reply: all areas around there were zoned commercial since City incorporation. For some reason, these parcels were skipped over.
Some of these type of things are left over from what King County did at some point in the past. It probably made a lot of sense at the time.

Parking is a concern because there’s no easy access. What kind of parking is required for multi-family occupancy? The general ratio is .75 stalls per unit for single occupancy units. So they would have to start there. After that they could apply for parking reductions due to the proximity of transit.

Is left turn to go eastbound to Aurora going to be a problem? Especially with a large number of units.
  • Reply: Yes, I believe you are correct. Public Works would make the determination whether it would have to be right-turn only or an option to exit on, say, Whitman.
  • These items can be addressed when we get a project proposal.

In the discussion of criteria, you stated that safety/welfare etc would not be detrimental to the community. What matrix is the basis for this?
  • Reply: When we look at this criteria, generally we look at what zone could accommodate those uses. For example, if someone wanted industrial type zoning, that would be detrimental to a park or residential area. A neighborhood business zone is consistent with what’s already there.
This item is scheduled to come back as Consent. Anyone object?

Would like this as an Action item because of whether commercial or residential or combination is preferred. It would be an opportunity to get new information.
  • Reply by Margaret King, City Attorney: This is a closed record meeting so nothing new can be added to the information currently before Council.

We are supposed to make our decision on what’s in the record, not on what might be built.
  • Reply by Margaret King, City Attorney: correct. It’s the zoning that you are looking at.
Council agrees to return on consent calendar.

Meeting adjourned.



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Spring in January

Friday, January 14, 2022

 
Photos by Lee Lageschulte

It was 51 degrees in Shoreline Thursday and these flowers thought that meant Spring so they bloomed. Now we'll probably get a blizzard in April.

Oh well, they're very pretty now.

DKH


 


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Shirley Jennings Thomas 1922-2022

Shirley Jennings Thomas 1922-2022
Shirley Jennings Thomas passed away on December 28, 2021, at age 99.

She was born in Seattle on July 19, 1922, the fourth child of Charles Ward Jennings and Lora Maud Denny Jennings, joining siblings John, Charlotte, and Loretta. 

Shirley was pleased to be a member of the Denny family, pioneer founders of Seattle.

As a young lady, Shirley loved to drive. She often talked about how her father owned the first car on the block when she was a girl, and she learned to drive as soon as she could. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1940.

She met her future husband, William H. Thomas, at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle where they were married on January 23, 1942. They raised five sons: John, David, Stephen, James, and Daniel. 

Bill and Shirley celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in 2017, and Bill passed away on August 6, 2017.

Shirley was a caring, devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. She often worked outside the home but still cared for her husband and sons and cooked nutritious, delicious meals from scratch. Each morning she sent her men out the door with lovingly prepared sack lunches. 

Stephen recalls that in high school, his mother always made him two sandwiches on whole wheat or rye bread, with ham or roast beef or salami, mayo, mustard, pickles, lettuce, and sometimes onion. She also sent him to school with carrots that were sliced and salted, and apples that were quartered, cored, stuffed with raisins, reassembled, and wrapped securely. Stephen often received requests from classmates to trade lunches, but he knew he had the best lunch in all the school and wasn’t about to settle for anything less.

John recalls that as a kid, he suffered from motion sickness, especially if he rode in the back seat. He says, “Dad (the Navy chief with sea legs) would tell me, ‘Buck up! It’s all in your head.’ Mom usually came to my rescue and let me sit in the front seat where I did much better. I attribute her support to her warmth and love, but it probably was mixed with the practical aspect of not having to clean up a big mess if I was assigned to the back seat.”

Shirley’s employers quickly recognized her as a capable and trustworthy person and offered her more and more responsibilities. Among other employment, she worked in the Humanities Department at Shoreline Community College for many years. 

She also carried out significant responsibilities at Augusta National Golf Course where she met interesting people playing in Masters Tournaments. Gary Player and Arnold Palmer were competitors in those days, and Jack Nicklaus was still an amateur. President Dwight D. Eisenhower played golf there, too. Shirley met both the President and his wife Mamie, who gifted Shirley with a transistor radio.

In 1957, Bill and Shirley bought a home in Shoreline on Dayton Avenue North. But Bill was a career military man so, alongside him, Shirley lived in Germany three times (Bad Nauheim, Frankfurt, and Stuttgart) and twice in Augusta, Georgia. After Bill’s retirement, they returned to the Dayton house. In 1974, they moved to rural Kingston, in 1999 they relocated to Richmond Beach, and in 2014, they moved to the Cristwood Park retirement community in Shoreline.

The two loved to travel and saw most of the world — western Europe, Asia, Australia, Russia, Africa, and the South Pacific. They also enjoyed traveling throughout the U.S. in their camper van.

Shirley and Bill took several trips to Israel and volunteered long-term in hospitals there. In 1978, Shirley traveled alone to a remote mission center in South America to visit her son David and his family. While there, she received an invitation to spend several days in one of the most primitive indigenous villages in the world. 

Assured that her son and grandkids (ages eight and six) would accompany her, she agreed to go, only to learn at the last minute that the tiny plane was overloaded and David had to get off. As she and the kids flew away, Shirley wondered what she was getting herself into, but she found the experience easier than she expected. She celebrated her 56th birthday there in that distant jungle and talked about the adventure for the rest of her life.

Shirley was a quiet, humble, gentle, but strong lady, a safe person for others to be around. Her relatives and friends experienced her non-judgmental grace time and time again. She enjoyed having family holidays at their home and hosted many a huge, happy gathering. 

Family members were always welcome to stay in their guest apartment in the basement. She was also devoted to caring for kinfolk and friends as they grew old and faced death. Shirley lived her whole life to serve and love others, asking nothing in return.

An avid reader, she was always reading — poetry, fiction, non-fiction — and even wrote her own poems. She also loved to garden and was especially fond of her roses, sweet peas, irises, and pink dogwood.

Shirley loved God and because she wanted to go deep with Him, she was an eager student of the Bible and other spiritual materials. She and her family attended Calvin Presbyterian Church in Shoreline for many years. When she and Bill lived in Kingston, they attended Indianola Community Church. In her later years, she returned to her first church, University Presbyterian, listening every Sunday on the radio.

Shirley is survived by her sons John, David, Stephen, James, and Daniel; four daughters-in-law: Linda, Glennyce, Sandra, and Julie; eleven grandchildren and their spouses: Jacob (Rachel), Rebecca (Craig), Matthew (Jill), Karen (Brian), Sarah (Jonathan), Spencer (Michelle), Seth (Stacy), Lora (Mike), Brianna, Corey (Megan), and Brady; and fifteen great-grandchildren and their spouses: Ethan, Caleb, Maggie (Nik), Emma (Levi), Claire, Chase, Finn, Kade, Anna, Heidi, Asher, Brennan, Tanner, Kenley, and Griffin.

“A mother’s influence is so great that we model it even when we don’t realize it, and we often return to it,” writes Charles R. Swindoll (Day by Day with Charles Swindoll). “More than any statesman or teacher, more than any minister or physician, more than any film star, athlete, business person, author, scientist, civic leader, entertainer, or military hero, [your mother is] the most influential person in your . . . life.”

The family will always be deeply thankful for their beautiful mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, and great-grandmother. They will love her forever.

Shirley’s grandson, Pastor Seth Thomas, will perform the memorial service on January 14, 2022, at 1pm at Cristwood Park, 350 N. 190th, Shoreline, Washington.

Cascade Memorial in Bellevue is in charge of arrangements.



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Jobs: WSDOT Sno-King Assistant Project Engineer

WSDOT
Sno-King Assistant Project Engineer
Shoreline, WA – Northwest Region

Washington State Department of Transportation is currently seeking an experienced engineer professional with exceptional leadership and project management skills to lead a staff of project managers, engineers, and technicians responsible for the development and delivery of critical transportation projects.

The main purpose of this role is to assist the Project Engineer in delivering the Northwest Region’s highway design and construction contracts to meet local, state, and federal standards within scope, schedule, and budget. If you are a professional engineer with management experience and have a background in both design and construction engineering, we encourage you to apply!

Job description and application



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A back and forth night for Shorewood wrestling team

By Clark Norton

It was a back and for night on Wednesday January 12, 2022 as the Shorewood wrestling team hosted the Mountlake Terrace Hawks. 

Mountlake Terrace opened the evening with a pin in the first match at 138 pounds. Shorewood’s Isaac VanHorn gave an emphatic response at 145 pounds, bullying his opponent right from the whistle for a pin in just 32 seconds to tie the team score. 

The Hawks refused to back down and used a pair of pins sandwiched around a forfeit to pull out to a 24-6 lead. 

The depth of Shorewood gave the Stormrays (formerly Thunderbirds) the lead back as Mountlake Terrace was unable to field a wrestler in the next five weight classes. 

Mountlake Terrace captain Sam Treperinas rallied his team with a first round pin at 120 pounds. Another Hawks pin at 126 pounds left the contest tied at 36 to 36 with only one match left.  

In the ultimate match Shorewood sent out senior captain Quincy Laflin to face Terrace’s Malachi Hashimoto. It was a nervous energy as both wrestlers started by stalking and probing each other.  Hashimoto struck first with a single leg takedown to grab a 2 to 0 lead. 

An out of bounds reset gave Laflin a chance to regroup and calm his nerves. Laflin exploded off the bottom for a one point escape and immediately attacked to secure a two point takedown and a 3 to 2 lead.  

Once on top Laflin was relentless, pounding Hashimoto into the mat multiple times before turning him over for an emphatic pin and a 42 to 36 Shorewood win.

Shorewood 42 - Mountlake Terrace 36
@ Shorewood High School
*Match began at 138lbs

106: Shyeras Bhattarai SW win by forfeit
113: Owen Mulder SW win by forfeit
120: Sam Treperinas MLT pinned Sky Klein 0:51
126: Isaac Williams MLT pinned Masa Taura 1:46
132: Quincy Laflin SW pinned Malachi Hashimoto 1:21
*138: Jack Bode MLT pinned James Nottingham 1:02
145: Isaac VanHorn SW pinned Bryce Pawling 0:32
152: Double forfeit
160: Jacob Arevalo MLT pinned Addison Brueck 1:34
170: Koby Sedy MLT win by forfeit
182: Jamison Davis MLT pinned Nathaniel Hernandez 0:59
195: Hunter Tibodeau SW win by forfeit
220: RJ Buchheit SW win by forfeit
285: Milan Johnson SW win by forfeit

Shorewood Record: 6-3 Overall, 2-0 Wesco 2A/3A


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Case updates January 13, 2022

COVID-19 Updates

 

United States  

  
  • Total cases 63,397,935 - 855,805 new  
  • Cases in past 7 days - 5,479,360
  • Total deaths 842,873 - 2,006  new

Washington State
  • Total confirmed cases 901,887 - 13,149 new  
  • Total hospitalizations 48,603 -   519 new 
  • Statewide ICU occupancy by COVID-19 patients - 28.1%
  • Total deaths 10,143 -    40 new  

Levels of Community Transmission:
based on the number of new cases per 100,000 residents in the past 7 days:

High: ≥ 100
Substantial: 50-99
Moderate: 10-49
Low: < 10


King county 
  • Total confirmed cases 249,305 -  4,588 new   
  • Cases in past 7 days - 39,298 
  • Total hospitalizations 9,931 -  52 new   
  • Total deaths 2,220 -  2 new   
  • Level of community transmission HIGH  

Seattle 
  • Total confirmed cases 66,065  -  1,363 new   
  • Cases in past 7 days - 11,280   
  • Total hospitalizations 2,131  -  6 new   
  • Total deaths 540  -   0 new  
  • Level of community transmission HIGH  

Shoreline  
  • Total confirmed cases 5,548 -   146 new   
  • Cases in past 7 days - 877    
  • Total hospitalizations 276 -   -3 new   
  • Total deaths 116 - 1 new
  • Level of community transmission: HIGH

Lake Forest Park 
  • Total confirmed cases 943 - 16 new    
  • Cases in past 7 days - 153 
  • Total hospitalizations 25 -    0 new
  • Total deaths 5  - 0 new
  • Level of community transmission: HIGH



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How to level up against omicron and stay out of hospital

Dr. John Lynch, Harborview
Photo courtesy UW Medicine
The omicron variant is pummeling Washington state and has also brought an influx of patients to hospitals nationwide. 

UW Medicine hospitals have reached a record high of 188 COVID patients as of Thursday, January 13, 2020.

Also spreading is renewed confusion over best masking tactics to combat omicron. 

Dr. John Lynch, medical director of infection prevention and control at Harborview Medical Center, says enhancing your current masking practices is a great first move.

“The basic message, I would say, is level up,” said Lynch. “Get a mask that fits well that also has that good multi-layer filtration to protect all of us, because again, you just don't know what you're going to face when you're out of your household.”

Watch a demonstration video to ensure your mask fits correctly.

UW Medicine is currently prioritizing testing at its nine locations for people who have symptoms of a respiratory illness or who have a known exposure to COVID-19. High demand across the region can still make a timely appointment hard to come by.

“Right now, if you can't get access to testing and you have cold or flu-like symptoms, I would make the assumption you have COVID-19 and act accordingly,” said Lynch. 
“Until you get that test, act as if you have COVID: isolate at home, make sure your household members, your family and everyone knows how you're feeling so that they can also think about how to behave outside of the household as well.”

Checklist: When you should get tested for COVID-19.



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Cartoon by Whitney Potter: January liquidation sale

 
Previous cartoons by Whitney Potter here




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Op-Ed by FBI Director Christopher Wray: The Cops Who Didn’t Come Home

Washington state has experienced losses, including a K-9 just a week ago.
 
“This past year, I have personally attended two heartbreaking ceremonies of Washington state law enforcement officers suddenly taken from their families and communities while on duty,” said Donald M. Voiret, Special Agent in Charge of the Seattle Field Office. “As a former police officer and relative of a current officer, these line-of-duty deaths hit me especially close to home.”
 
FBI Director Christopher Wray
By Christopher Wray, FBI Director

While many Americans celebrated the holidays with their families in the final week of 2021, law enforcement kept working. And, tragically, four officers didn’t make it home to their loved ones that week. They were murdered while doing their job keeping others safe.

Baltimore Police Officer Keona Holley, ambushed while alone in her car, died on Christmas Eve. Five days later in Illinois, Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Riley was killed during a call for assistance.

On Dec. 30, also in Illinois, Bradley Police Department Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic was shot while attempting to locate the owner of dogs left in a car. And on New Year’s Eve, Cleveland Police Officer Shane Bartek was killed in an attempted carjacking.

These four murders brought the total number of officers feloniously killed in the line of duty in 2021 to 73, the highest annual number since the 9/11 attacks. That’s the equivalent of one officer murdered every five days. In a year when homicides and violent crime reached distressing levels, this 20-year high hasn’t received the attention it deserves.

Especially troubling is that a record number of officers killed — nearly half — had no engagement with their assailant before the attack. 
Each story is heartbreaking: A 30-year Florida deputy murdered one shift shy of retirement; an officer ambushed on his first day on the job, leaving behind a wife and 6-month-old son; a combat veteran and his police dog killed while serving together.

At the Federal Bureau of Investigation, we experienced loss in 2021, too. Special Agents Laura Schwartzenberger and Daniel Alfin were murdered while doing the difficult job investigating crimes against children. FBI Task Force Officer Greg Ferency of the Terre Haute, Ind., Police Department was ambushed and killed outside an FBI office.

When I started as FBI director, I made it my practice to call the chief or sheriff of every officer intentionally killed in the line of duty. I have now made more than 200 such calls. 

Each conversation reminds me that behind the uniform, the badge, and, yes, sometimes the flashing lights in your rearview mirror, there are real people. With each call, I think about the families and friends who lost someone they loved, the children who will grow up without a parent, and the communities deprived of a public servant.

We owe it to them to redouble our efforts to take the most violent offenders off the streets and to make sure officers have the resources, equipment and training they need to do their jobs safely. Even more, we need to ensure the brave men and women know that the communities they serve have their backs.

Every day, officers willingly put themselves at risk not knowing what dangerous situation or traumatic event they might encounter. 

I won’t pretend every person who carries a badge is beyond reproach, but the overwhelming majority do the job with the professionalism and commitment to equal justice citizens rightly expect.

I meet frequently with chiefs and sheriffs across the country, and they are concerned about morale and the challenges of recruiting the next generation of officers. They understand that trust and transparency are vital to safety, and they are committed to finding ways to improve interactions. 

And while respect must be earned, if we are going to recruit and retain the kind of people willing to put their lives on the line to protect others, we have to show that we value their sacrifices.

Civic and business leaders, government officials and responsible citizens need to consider how we talk about engaging with law enforcement. When police are miscast as lacking humanity — devoid of empathy and compassion — everyone suffers. Departments lose good officers who are hard to replace, and communities are less safe.

As we reflect on 2021, let’s honor the memories of those who lost their lives protecting others. Let’s commit to making communities safer, finding ways to improve interactions between law enforcement and those they serve, holding everyone to the high standards befitting men and women in uniform, and valuing those who do their jobs with honor.

~~
Christopher Wray is an American attorney who has been the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) since 2017.



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Clouds at Paramount Open Space

 
Photo by Janet Way

The setting sun reflected on the underside of rain clouds with a sherbet-colored glow. Paramount Open Space is a Shoreline city park at 946 NE 147th St, Shoreline, WA 98155. It runs from NE 145th to NE 152nd. It is a natural area, heavily forested, with wetlands, and a walking trail.

It is close but not connected to Paramount Park, which is school district property used under an interlocal agreement by the City of Shoreline as a large family park.



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SPU crew makes quick work of replacing broken section of water main last weekend

SPU crews responding to break in water main
Photo by Pam Cross

On Sunday, January 9, 2022 Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) crews responded to a water main break at 1st Ave NW and NW 193 St. 

The break involved an 8-inch cast iron water main and impacted 22 customer water service lines. Some customers may have experienced a temporary decrease in water pressure or interruption in water service while crews were repairing the pipe.

Staff removed the broken piece of pipe and replaced it with a stainless steel pipe.

Photo by Pam Cross
To learn more about how SPU maintains approximately 1,600 miles of drinking water infrastructure, please visit:

https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/neighborhood-projects/water-repair

If you discover a soft spot in the street with water bubbling up from underneath (and you live west of the freeway), call SPU 24-hour emergencies (water, sewer, or drainage), at (206) 386-1800.

Corrected location of repair.

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Gloria's Birds: When eagles speak, photog listens...(and snaps!)

Thursday, January 13, 2022

Photo copyright Gloria Z Nagler

  (Bald Eagle on shores of Lake Washington the other day)

--Gloria Z Nagler


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Case updates January 12, 2022

COVID-19 Updates

 

United States  

  
  • Total cases 62,538,796 - 797,216 new  
  • Cases in past 7 days - 5,330,750
  • Total deaths 840,286 - 2,991  new

Washington State
  • Total confirmed cases 888,738 - 12,571 new  
  • Total hospitalizations 48,084 -   296 new   
  • Statewide ICU occupancy by COVID-19 patients - 27.3%
  • Total deaths 10,103 -    77 new  

Levels of Community Transmission:
based on the number of new cases per 100,000 residents in the past 7 days:

High: ≥ 100
Substantial: 50-99
Moderate: 10-49
Low: < 10


King county 
  • Total confirmed cases 244,717 -  4,683 new   
  • Cases in past 7 days - 38,238 
  • Total hospitalizations 9,879 -  81 new   
  • Total deaths 2,218 -  7 new   
  • Level of community transmission HIGH  

Seattle 
  • Total confirmed cases 64,702  -  1,353 new   
  • Cases in past 7 days - 10,808   
  • Total hospitalizations 2,125  -  19 new   
  • Total deaths 540  -   4 new  
  • Level of community transmission HIGH  

Shoreline  
  • Total confirmed cases 5,402 -   143 new   
  • Cases in past 7 days - 839    
  • Total hospitalizations 279 -   6 new   
  • Total deaths 115 - 0 new
  • Level of community transmission: HIGH

Lake Forest Park 
  • Total confirmed cases 927 - 25 new    
  • Cases in past 7 days - 154 
  • Total hospitalizations 25 -    0 new
  • Total deaths 5  - 0 new
  • Level of community transmission: HIGH



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